Attracting Hummingbirds And Butterflies

Tuesday, March 15 | Gardening Info

Here are some tips for attracting and feeding these ‘flying flowers’ in your gardens:

Butterflies: 

Ideal butterfly gardens provide shelter, water and food for all stages of the butterflies’ life cycle.  Larger shrubs near the garden offer a wind break and a place for the caterpillars to cocoon.  Broad, shallow water sources are ideal, deeper birdbaths can be hazardous to the adults’ health.  Finally, select a variety of plants that bloom at different times throughout the summer so nectar is always available.  Different butterflies prefer different nectars, so you might want to research online to attract specific species.  And for goodness sake, don’t spray your butterfly gardens with any insecticides!

Butterfly favorites: 

Larger groups attract better than single plants

Echinacea	Dill	Hollyhock	Eupatorium	Peony
Turtlehead	Milkweed	Yarrow	Heliotrope	Liatris
Asclepias	Petunia	Aster	Marigold	Daylily
Gaillardia	Nasturtium	Verbena	Salvia	Sunflower
Cosmos	Coreopsis	Daisies

Hummingbirds: 

These high-energy feathered friends are always on the lookout for a nectar meal.  Many of the plants listed above for butterflies will attract humming birds too.  As with butterflies, be sure to provide cover and a place for hummers to perch with larger shrubs near your garden and avoid applying pesticides to the plants where your birds feed.  Hummingbirds feed on sight and are attracted to bright colors.  Hint: try decorating your new garden with red or orange surveyor’s tape (from a hardware store) to get the hummers’ attention.

Hummingbird Favorites:

Fuchsia	Salvia	Morning Glory	Cardinal Vine	Hosta
Lantana	Petunia	Honeysuckle	Delphinium	Impatien